ABINGDON, Va. – The Crooked Road received a Foundation For Bluegrass Music "Bluegrass Innovator" grant award for 2013. The $2,000 award will assist with the creation of a Traditional Music Artists Roster and implementation of School Assembly Programs through TCR's Traditional Music Education Program.
Foundation For Bluegrass Music grants for 2013 have been named in honor of two legendary contributors to the genre, both who passed away in 2012: banjo player Earl Scruggs, a member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame; and California event producer Warren Hellman, a recipient of the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award. Qualifying for a grant is a competitive process, and candidates must meet the foundation's grant application guidelines. TCR's grant was one of four grants awarded for 2013.
The Foundation for Bluegrass Music, Inc. is a non-profit charitable organization created in 2007 to serve as an "umbrella" under which funds can be placed and disbursed to support educational, literary, artistic and historic preservation activities of public benefit. The Foundation distributes funds to fulfill its mission. The Foundation has a broad, flexible purpose providing support to a wide variety of initiatives.
The Crooked Road's Traditional Music Education Program is a multi-faceted educational initiative which began in 2010. It provides support to public schools, community colleges, and communities in Southwest Virginia for the development and implementation of traditional music programs, coursework, and instructor training.
